Coin

10 Dollars Coronet Head - With motto (1901) — United States

United States • 1901 • KM# 102, PCGS# 8649-8765, 8806-8847

10 Dollars Coronet Head - With motto (1901) — United States

Overview

A 10 Dollars gold coin of the United States, part of the Standard circulation coins series, featuring the Coronet Head with motto design. The obverse depicts Liberty facing left surrounded by 13 stars, while the reverse shows a heraldic eagle holding 3 arrows and an olive branch. Designed by Christian Gobrecht, this is a Proof strike minted in 1901 at the United States Mint of Philadelphia, produced in a highly limited mintage of 85 pieces. It is composed of .900 gold and has a reeded edge.

Specifications

Country
United States
Year
1901
Composition
Gold (.900) (.100 copper)
Weight
16.718 g
Diameter
27 mm
Thickness
2 mm
Mint
United States Mint of Philadelphia
Shape
Round
Technique
Milled
References
KM# 102, PCGS# 8649-8765, 8806-8847
Issuer
United States

Design details

Obverse

Liberty (coronet head) facing left, surrounded by 13 stars, with the date below

Reverse

Heraldic eagle with Union shield, holding 3 arrows and an olive branch, motto above

Collector insights

  • Design heritage: Christian Gobrecht is credited as the designer for the Standard circulation coins series. Designer attribution helps distinguish this issue from later restrikes or unofficial copies that reuse only the motif.
  • Struck at: United States Mint of Philadelphia. Confirm the mintmark on your example before comparing prices — same-year issues from different mints often trade at very different levels.
  • Low mintage: Only 85 pieces reported. This puts the issue into key-date territory for its series; expect steep grade-based price scaling and a higher counterfeit risk — provenance and third-party grading matter.
  • Gold issue: Gold (.900) (.100 copper) — bullion demand competes with numismatic demand. Weight and fineness (not just face value) drive the melt-value floor.
  • Catalogue reference: Listed as KM# 102, PCGS# 8649-8765, 8806-8847. Use this reference code when cross-checking auction archives, dealer inventories, and standard printed catalogues.

Curator Insights

Historical context

During 1901, the United States maintained the gold standard at a fixed rate, providing significant stability to the American economy at the dawn of the 20th century. This ten-dollar eagle was struck as part of the long-running Coronet Head series, established to facilitate large-scale commercial transactions and bank reserves. The addition of the motto 'IN GOD WE TRUST' had been a requirement for this denomination since 1866 following a Congressional act motivated by religious sentiment during the Civil War.

Design heritage

Chief Engraver Christian Gobrecht modeled the obverse Liberty after a figure in Benjamin West's painting 'Omnia Vincit Amor,' featuring a coronet inscribed with her name. The reverse depicts a heraldic eagle clutching arrows and an olive branch, symbols representing military strength and a desire for peace. Gobrecht's neoclassical aesthetic remained the standard for United States gold coinage for over six decades, reflecting a preference for European-influenced allegorical art.

Varieties and technical notes

This specific 1901 issue was struck at the Philadelphia Mint with a proof finish, characterized by mirrored fields and frosted devices. Collectors should examine the reeded edge for uniform spacing and the denticles for high-relief definitions typical of a master die strike. In addition to these limited proof strikes, larger quantities of business strikes were produced at various branch mints, though they lack the specialized reflective surfaces of this particular specimen.

Survival and modern availability

With a confirmed mintage of only 85 units, these proof coins are exceptionally rare and were originally sold to collectors as part of annual proof sets. Many examples were lost to circulation attrition or government-mandated gold melts in 1933, significantly reducing the number of surviving specimens in the modern census. The scarcity of high-grade survivors makes any extant example a significant piece of American numismatic history.

More from United States

Other 10 Dollars Coronet Head - With motto issues

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